The Good Shepherd

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

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Jesus is the Good Shepherd sent to care for us, His sheep.

He gives us what we need, not what we ask for. Most of us don't have a clue what

we want or need. I know I have been in that place in my life, I thought I knew what I needed and got mad when I didn't get my way. I did things that should have caused others to give up on me. I felt I had no faith in myself, no love for others.

 

I became in that instant the lost sheep. I was so scared; I needed the guidance of the Good Shepherd. I gave up on myself, and was angry and bitter at the world for no reason. I was in my valley. Christ found me in the depths of my pain and gave me faith and helped me stop asking why everyone and everything was against me, I found that at every step I had been guided by my Savior. He left the other sheep and came for me, bringing me back and making sure I was filled with love. He instilled in me the ability to tell others about the poor decisions and path of anger and wrong I was walking. I was filled with His love, touched by the Holy Spirit.

 

Do I think I am completely perfected? No. But I know who is. Do I sometimes wonder if I am making the right choices? Absolutely I do. I have my doubts, but they are mine alone. And when I feel this way, I give my thoughts and fears over to the Lord. I am filled completely with the peace that I am a child of God, a sheep of the Good Shepherd. He will be there for me always. He has always been there for me. He is my Shepherd. I will not fear. Even though the world has all its shiny dangly trinkets, all the choices that are there to turn me away from my Lord, I am continually led back to the right path by the guiding hand of my Christ. I believe in the Father and He has prepared a home for me with Him. I will forever be cared for.

 

I ask you today to be a sheep of the Good Shepherd. If you have fears, doubt, pain, I urge you to talk to Christ. He doesn't care if you know how to pray. He doesn't care if you wear hand-me down clothes or tailor made suits. He knows your heart, he knows your path. He will lead you where you will be, if only you allow him to be your guide. Please be a part of the flock of the Good Shepherd, and live in Jesus Christ.

 

In Christ,

Rick